Portable conveyer



Feb. 20, 1951 A. J. TROYER PORTABLE CONVEYER Filed May 22, 19.47

2 Sheets-Sheet l Feb. 20, 1951 A. .1. TRoYr-:R 2,542,885

PORTABLE CONVEYER Filed May 22, 1947 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Feb. 20, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Claims.

i The invention relates generally to endless belt conveyors, and more particularly to anovel portable and adjustable conveyor which is particularly adapted for unloading material from freight cars or onto trucks under a variety of conditions. Certain prior portable conveyors have been heavy and cumbersome to manipulate and have embodied a derrick or similar superstructure for raising and lowering the conveyor to meet loading conditions. Such superstructure not only makes the conveyor top heavy and unwieldy but increases the overhead clearance required in movingl or transporting the conveyor through doors or under overhead obstructions.

These prior conveyors have the further disadvantage of being somewhat unstable on uneven ground, especially when in raised position. Moreover, in transporting or towing such conveyors over rough roads, the shocks or impact l loads on the conveyor are very apt to damage the lifting mechanism.

In order to make the conveyor boom strong enough to meet all conditions, the booms of such prior conveyors include heavy structural meme bers with a large amount of cross bracing, as for example. in a lattice arrangement. Such structures not only make the conveyor heavy and unwieldy, but greatly increase the load required to be raised by the lifting mechanism and add to the instability of the conveyor by raising its center of gravity.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a novel portable conveyor having a strong and rigid boom of minimum weight.

Another object is to provide a novel portable conveyor having a lifting mechanism located entirely below the boom, thereby lowering the center of gravity and decreasing the overhead clearance required.

Another object is to provide a portable conveyor having a novel lifting mechanism which is so constructed as to transfer the weight of the conveyor in lowered position directly to the axle, so that the lifting mechanism is not subjected to shocks or impacts when the conveyor is being transported.

A further object is to provide a novel portable conveyor which has increased stability in raised position, thereby substantially eliminating side sway.

j Another object is to provide an improved portable conveyorhaving a novel boom construction providing support for stationary and moving functional parts which in turn contribute to the strength and rigidity of the boom without requiring additional reinforcing members` i A further object is to provide an improved portable conveyor having a novel boom con-struction for protecting the return run of the belt from falling material, and for imparting increased rigidity to the boom.

A still further object is to provide an improved portable conveyor having a novel lever lifting mechanism which enables the location of such mechanism entirely below the boom, and which transfers a large proportion of the weight drectly to the axle as the lifting mechanism approaches fully raised position.

Finally, it is an object of the present invention to incorporate all of the foregoing objectives in a` compact and light weight portable conveyor construction which is inexpensive to manufacture, operate and maintain.

These and other objects are accomplished by the parts, constructions, arrangements and combinations which comprise the present invention.

the nature of which is set forth in the following general statement, and a preferred embodiment of which is set forth in the following description and illustrated in the accompanying drawings,

and which is particularly pointed out and set.

forth in the appended claims.

In general terms, the novel portable conveyor comprising the present invention may be stated as including an elongated conveyor boom supported intermediate its ends on a lever lifting mechanism carried on an axle having a pair of wheels for supporting the conveyor on the ground, the lifting mechanism including a fulcrum frame supporting the lever on the axle, and cable and Winch means for operating the lever to raise the boom; the conveyor boom having a Welded box construction with belt rollers iournaled in its upper side walls, a bottom wall supporting the return run, of the belt, and angular delector.

Fig. l, showing the crank handle for manually operating the lifting mechanism; l v Fig. 4 is a fragmentary side elevational view is. an enlarged fragmentary elevation for unloading vgranular or pulver-ized materiali such as lime and gravel from freight oars to. a, stock pile or onto a truck or the like. In such case, the loading end of the eonvdori hoorn. is.

positioned under the freight ear with the oo nveyor preferably sloping upwardly to the unloading end so that the material falls from tlloifogh c ar onto the conveyor and is conveyed upwardly to iallfrom, its. discharge end. onto a. stool:4 pile oi; into. av truck. body.v Alternately.. the. material. may be;- earried, from, under.. the,freigl lt, Car by an. unloading. conveyor. which dumps.. onto the load? ing end of the novel. portable conveyor of. the present. invention.- Variations. in using. the. presentlnortableconveyor willI be apparent., as. the.. conveyor boom. might b e sloped` downwardly to, unload rolfn` a truck. body. to the ground or., it. might. be used. in. a horizontaL position. as. shownii1-Ee s..1..and.4; for. loading material ironia load.-

ing platform into atruolior vioeversa,V l

rIlle. novel portable. oo nl/ever. includes an, elongated. conveyor` boom. indioated. generally at. 8,. Supporting. endlessbelt. Sithe. boombeing sunported. intermediate its.. ends onvv ani upright fill.- erum frame indicated generally at.. Ill. rotatably. carried. the.. axle l. l. rollably. supported. by the Wlioolsi L2 Betweenthefraine. ld. andtheboomt a. lever. lift. i3.. is. interposed. for. adjusting. the: height l ot. tbeboom to.y suit varyingv Conditions. 1

shovvn,in-,Eig. 5., the conveyor boom. is. pref: erably made of. light. gauge, steel.. inl a. welded. bex

construction... and... includes. longitudinal. vertical.

side members4 l5.. having. at. their upper edges. horizontal danse portions it, terminating.. downturnededge portionsl 4.1.. The lower.l edges of.; the side members` l5.. have.. inturned anges.. I 8. which support.. transverse spacer angles. i9. at.. in.-v tervals along the length, ofg thelboorn.. The. bot..- tomwall, 2li; of. the. boom slidably. supborts, return., run. 9.a., of. the, conveyor belt... andl a. eentral longitudinal, trough or. channel, 2l. formed.. therein. for housing.. the i angleA flights 23. secured. totheoonveyorbelt. Y

Y Longitudinal side.. platesv 2.3, extend upwardlI/i` from...eaen edge. of the.- bottom Wall at aworking. Clearance. from. the. belt.. and the. side plates. are. bentinwardlv to.. iornideileotor walls. 2n, extend ing;V ansularlll inward.. andunward. and termil ina. at... their inner. ends. in. horizontal. danesa e which are secured to the transverse angles. l,... asiby1 Weldirigi. 'L1hese..deeotor walls 2li. only serve` to. brace4 the. oonvevor. boom. and.. mairev it.

'strong and rigid, but at the same time they, serve to; deflect outwardly any. material falling Qyleiptne edgesortheupperrun. slof, the` beltandthusnre vent: itiirom. fallingv on thereturnrun. 9o.. Ero.- tecting the inner surjlaeeottlleiretlllnmunol the. bdtrom.- falling; material. is. very important., because otherwise such materialwill build; union. tha tail. pulley.. and. will. enlarge..- the. sanos td the extent of. damaging; the. belt, asby` tearing the lacing hooks outofvthesame.

The provision of; the protentiveftrough. ill. tor.

.4 very important because in using a portable conveyor with such flights exposed the moving flights are extremely dangerous and are very apt to damage other equipment as well as to cause damage to the driving mechanism of the conveyor if they become jammed. Y

Theside members I5are preferably connected directly to the side plates 23 at longitudinal intervals by str-aps.v 25 welded; thereto and'. located pre-ierably: opposite the` ends of theJ transverse angles I9. tildlnal openings extend substantially throughouttlddlongth of the conveyor boom for'discharging'any material which falls from the outer edges ofl the uppenrun of the belt 9 onto the deileoting plates 2 4, andr the plates 24 at the same time Ystrengtherrthei boom throughout its length.

'Ilhejupper run 9 of the conveyorbelt is supported throughout the length of the boom by suitable rollers 21 which. preferably haveconical ends to carry theupner runoithe,belt.inasorner` what;trough-likeshape..ina wellrknown fashionh As.. shown... the, ends,4 of.A the.. rollers. have suitable.- bearings 28 mounted thereinl for journaling the. rollers onV transverse shaftsV Z9, theendsoi. which are rigidly securedlto the sidemembers lief. the: boom,4 as by. oap. screws., .3o. With this type.` of. journali mounting the` shaftslll'. provide addi-- tional transverse, spacer ba.rs .1"or thes-demem bers er the boom,v thus. serving,thedualnurnose offiournaling the.. rollers and; stillening. thebnom.

The, means fnl; driving. the.. oonveyor. belty include an eleotrinniotor di. supported. onta. plate form 3 2, ivhiohis carried onles.-i3. andlill secured as by Weldingto the. sido.. members l5 ami-23. of. the; Conveyor. boom.. The platform, 3 2.. for the. motor is. preferably inclined. so thatv when. the:1 loadingend; 3.5 o i the. conveyor3 is.. tipped. clown? Wardly in. normal; operating. position.v the, plat form will be substantially horizontal... Oneside off. the platform. 32. may have an. adjustingA screw. 32' for adjusting the inclination or the. platform.. While an electric motor 3l, i'sshown, itwill. beV understood;thatA any suitable driving motor,v as.- forV instance a gasoline motor. canbeused..

The driying motor is. operatively oonneotedA as'. by a. belt36 toA a pulley 3T. mounted. ononeside. ofi the conveyor. boom. and having a driving; pinionA 38.'.thereon.. Thr-driving pinion. Stills-.Opern atively connected by a chain indicated 241139.110 a.

driying.sprocketuddat thedisoharge. end 4l. ofthe at. th. trading. end oi thabooma belt-.taili pulley.; f 4 4; i.

urnaljed in an, adjustable.: bearing, mount-M ing, 4'51 adapted for taking.' up. the. slack.. in. the... belt.V 'Ilhe adjustable bearings, i5.- are. slidablyimounted in. a. usual fashion. in. guides.v 45. onathe.; sides of' the boom, and the bearings aresadiustsiable. by. means. of adjusting bolts. 4.1 screwedin the. flanges ot angles-A 4.851 sjenured to.V the sides. of.. tbeloonveyon b ooin..Y f

Between the tail' pulley. 44 and the adjacent.. boltornllei; 21..,a.shoots.,platei` 5i! unclerliesitbe,-.b elt;V because this.. area.y of.. the., belt. the loadingv area'T where the. belt.. reneives. its. most severe: sl-ioolrs;l andv impaots. The'shock plate 5.0.. is weldedatV its. edgesr to theY side.. members. L5. and'. is looatedl.

tbefigbts. on. the, return..runoi the. beltfis.. also immediately under. the .beltso.as;to slidablv:sun-fy Thus, between the straps 2S longiport the same. The shock plate accordingly provides a rigid bed of suiiicient strength to withstand the shock oi any load or overload dumped on the belt, and since it is welded to the side members l5 to become an integral part of the boom, it adds strength and rigidity at the loading end of the boom, where the boom receives the most severe use and abuse while in service.

The lever frame i3 is preferably rectangular and journaled intermediate its ends on a trans v erse shaft 5l which is connected at its ends to the inwardly inclined side members 52 of, the upright fulcrum frame supported on the axle l I. The side members 53 of the lever frame are widened vertically at their central intermediate portions 53a to increase their strength vertically, andare widened horizontally at their outer ends at the points where they are attached as by weide ing to transverse end rods 5d.

The front transverse bar 5d of the lever frame is journaled at its ends in the bottom ends of anchoring bars welded to the opposite side members of the boom and depending below the same. The rear transverse rod 5l?- of the lever frame has spaced pulley blocks 5b secured thereto for snipportingr the upper reaches of a cable 51 one end of which is secured at 555 to the aXle I- and the other end of which is wound about a winch 59 mounted on the conveyor boom, the cable being passed in series over 'the pulleys 5t and pulleys t@ secured on the axle Il. The axle H is connected as by welding at its outer ends to the lower ends of anchor bars t2 which extend rearwardly and have their upper ends pivoted on a transverse shaft t3 which is mounted in the lower ends of vertical anchor bars E4 preferably Welded to the sides of the conveyor boom at a substantial distance from the front anchor bars 55. Thus, in raised position such as shown in Fig. 4, the axle ll is connected to widely spaced anchor bars 55 and effi on the conveyor boom, to prevent side sway and provide a very stable support for the conveyor boom. Due to this stable construction the lifting mechanism can operate to raise the boom easily without binding even though the conveyor is located on uneven ground or subjected to lateral loads.

The winch 5i), on which the upper end of the cable 51 is wound. is preferably mounted on a transverse shaft 55 mounted in a suitable bearing 66 on the underside of the boom. As shown in Figs. 6 and 7, one flange el of the winch is provided with a series of peripheral notches (i8 for being engaged by one end of a ratchet bar 5S, the other end of which is pivotally connected to a bolt 'lil securing an angular guard plate 'li to the side plate 23 of the boom. A latch l2 normally holds the ratchet bar 59 in engagement with one of the notches 58, to .locii the cable in adjusted position, so that the winch 59 will not unwind but will permit the ratchet bar SQ to slide over the notches 55 when the winch is turned to wind up the cable. In order to release the latch 12 to allow the Winch to turn in the opposite direction for unwinding the cable, the latch is connected to a lever arm 'i3 for raising the same, and preferably the lever arm i3 is connected to a cross shaft 'le having a handle 'it on the opposite end, so as to be conveniently located adjacent to the crank end of the winch shaft t5.

As best shown in Figs.` 2 and Ll, the end of the f shaft opposite to the winch 55 has a gear Tl thereon meshing with a pinion lt, and the pinion is adapted to be rotated by a crank 19 secured thereto. The end of the gear shaft 65 and the bij bar 80, the upper end of which is secured to an angle bracket 3l mounted on the side of the boom.

As indicated in Fig. l, when the conveyor boom is in fully lowered position, the widened central portions 53a of the cantilever members 53 abut the bottom wall Eil of the boom so as to transmit the full load of the conveyor boom through the iulcrum frame l ii directly to the axle l l. Accordingly, when the conveyor is transported in fully lowered position, the cable 5l is not subjected to any shocks or strains which would tend to snap the cable, especially in traveling over bumpy roads.

As shown in Fig. e, as the conveyor boom 8 approaches fully raised position, the lever frame I3 approaches alignment with the fulcrum :frame iii so as to transmit a large proportion of the load of the boom through the fulcrum frame directly to the axle and thus relieve the strainY pact and light in weight due to the welded box construction and the minimum number of additional transverse braces reouired in the boom, and the conveyor is accordingly very inexpensive to manufacsure and easy 'to operate and maintain. The novel lifting mechanism is located entirely below the boom at all times, which-lowers the center of gravity of the conveyor, increases its stability and decreases the amount of overhead learance required in transporting the conveyor through doors and under overhead obstructions.

The novel conveyor comprises an easily portable conveying unit which is readily adapted to meet a wide variety ci loading` conditions and which combines maximum strength, rigidity and stability with a minimum of weight.

In the foregoing description, certain terms have been used for brevity, clearness and understanding, but no unnecessary limitations are to be implied therefrom beyond the requirements of the prior art, because such words are used for descriptive purposes herein and are intended to be broadly construed.

Moreover, the embodiment of the improved construction illustrated and described herein is by way of example, and the scope of the present invention is not limited to the exact details of construction.

Having now described the invention, the construction, the operation and use, and a preferred embodiment thereof, and the advantageous new and useful results obtained thereby; the new and useful constructions, and reasonable mechanical equivalents thereof obvious to those skilled in the art, are set forth in the appended claims.

l claim:

l. A portable conveyor including an elongated conveyor boom, an endless belt movably mounted in said boom, a lever member located under the boom and pivotally connected at one end to an intermediate portion of said boom, an axle having wheels for reliably supporting the conveyor, .a substantially upright frame pivotally supported at its lower end directly on said axle and having its upper end pivotally connected to the central portion of said lever member, inclined anchor bars pivotally connecting said axle to said boom at a location spaced longitudinally from the connection of Said boom and lever member, and means for rotating the free end of the lever Y izlrtermediate portion: of saidboeing. an. axle have ingwheels for rollably-'supporting' the conveyor;Y ai. s'nlostanti'allvl upright frame pivotally sup-- port/edf at its lower end. direotly on saidaalen-ndLA having its upper. end pivotally connected. tov thecent-rair portion. ot' said,-V lexrer member.; inclined.. anehor bars,pivotallir corniecting,said axletovsaid. boom. at alocation'. spaced longitudinally iront. the connection of said boom and lever mernherg. andoaole. and. Winchv means@ for rotating, the free endj ot, the. lever member about its*y central. pivot, onttheranaeijto raiseA the boom..V

3.-. .exportable conveyor including, anelongatedl. conveyor; hoorn. an endless4 belt. inovallvl inniint.- ed; in; saidboorm a levier member located under: the boom and lpivot'ally connected at one endltc' anl intermediate portion, of saidL loii; an. axle having. Wheels. for; itoll'ahly supporting the con.- veyon. a substantially upright frame pivotally' supported at. its' lower end. directly" on said. axl andi having itsupper end pivotally cor'i'iie'ctedc to the. central' portion of said leverl member, i'nclined anchor. bars pivotally conneeti'rigsaid'axle'. to'. Said hoorn at, a locationv spaced Iongitidinall'y from. the connection oi" said. boom Iiiembe'r,l pulleys on the axle andl the free entiv of saidilever' member, a cable passing oversawp l ley's in series, and a Winchon said booni foriivin'd'- ing' the cable' to raiseY the boom.

' 4. A portable normally horizontal conveyor in"g cliidingy an elongated conveyor bo'ou'i, an axle having Wheels il'lably'supportng said conveyor;-

a;v substantially nprightframe pivotall'y supported at its V lower end directly on'. said` axle; an', inf clined. anchor bar pivotally connecting said axle: tti'4 an internoodiate'` portion ofi said boom; a lover memberloc'ated' under the boom" and'Y pivoted at' 'its' centralv portion orij the upper end of said* frame, one e'nd of said lever member lheilig plv#- S; otally conneetedto: said. boom; at an: intermediihef4 location.: spaced; longitudinally' fromthe: connec-L between. said` boom and anchor. ban., moana foi: rotating' the4 free: end ot saidf lever member doit'rnzrardiyl about its central pivotto raise' the boonl snbstantiallyl horizontal. position, and: the; ceni'aall portion of said. lever member" abutting said boom in-.its fully lowered position;A

5i Aipoiitable'normally horizontal conveyonincluding an elongated conveyor. boom;V an: axle;V

havingz Wheelsv nollably supporting said: conveyor; aisiilostaiitially. uprightifrarne pivotallggiA supponted: itav lowerf end directly on.l said: aigle;- an.l inelined anchor.` han pivotally' connecting; saidf axle. to an; intermediate; portion of saidbooing. a.A lever mentvr herf located; under` thel boom and pivo'ted.` at'. its central portiorrfon. the upper endof said ffra'n'fic,2 oneof. sail lever. member: being; pivotallyf connected to said looorn:atsanrintermediate?loca:-L

tiom spaced?. longitudinally from. the connection betweena said? boonr and anchor;- ban, andi means? for rotating the;- tree? endv of: said, lever memccn downwardly-'toward saidx axleI` to' raise theI boom f in. substantially .horizontal position, said lever:

s member.' abutting'. said4v boom in: :fullyy lowered.v EJO-f 

